Restaurant Review: Robert’s Maine Grill

Today is a special day. My best girl and I are headed out for a Mommy-Daughter excursion and we’re pulling out all the stops. A little lunch, a little shopping, maybe even a mini-manicure. You know, girl stuff. We decide on Robert’s Maine Grill in Kittery which is conveniently located next to some serious outlet shopping. This is gonna be good.

The Vibe
We are greeted right away by Mike, the colorful host with a ready smile. Already bustling with other diners, we are escorted through the restaurant to a table in the main dining room. The space is bright and open with high ceilings and lots of natural light. Mike seats us and promptly sets down some sheets of paper and a cup of brand new crayons and says he’ll be back to check on our artwork. My daughter immediately goes to work on her drawing and says she feels inspired by the fishy artwork on the walls. Our waitress stops by and delivers a plate of crackers and salmon spread which is quickly devoured by my 5-year old date—amazing! Since it’s a special outing, we both order Shirley Temples with extra cherries…aaah, to be young again!

On The Menu
The kids’ menu offers the usual favorites of grilled cheese, hot dog, hamburger, spaghetti and chicken fingers for $5.95 and fried shrimp or fish plates for $6.95 and $7.95, respectively. Each meal comes with a beverage (milk, fountain soda, lemonade or iced tea) and is served in a special kid’s cup. The adult lunch menu offers plenty of delicious lighter fare options like soup and salads, sandwiches and fried seafood rolls. Prices here are slightly on the higher side ranging from around $9 to $20 per meal, but this is a special occasion and we’re happy to splurge a little. There are so many great sounding options, I’m having a hard time deciding what to order—I want one of everything at this point. After a quick negotiation on what we’re willing to swap and share, my daughter and I settle on a Grilled Salmon Wrap and a Kids’ Fried Shrimp Plate.

The restaurant is filled with a variety of patrons including business people, leisurely lunchers and families with children. The kitchen is open and visible to the restaurant and my daughter is tickled that she can see the chefs preparing all the food. The waitstaff delivers bowls of chowder, steamed clams and yummy fried seafood to the tables and diners around us. It’s official, we’re excited.

Mike is back to critique our drawing skills and readily hands out the compliments. He has some clever artwork of his own and we all erupt in laughter when he shares his riddle-like drawings (our favorite is the pig walking around a corner). Mike is definitely the Host with the Most and he’s making our special outing even more memorable. Lunchtime! Our food is delivered and everything looks fantastic. The Kids’ Fried Shrimp Plate is plentiful and lightly fried and my Grilled Salmon Wrap is fresh and delicious.

What’s The Damage
Before we get the check, my girl and I decide to go big and get dessert. Why not? Robert’s offers six different desserts (all ala mode options are served with Annabelle’s Ice Cream) and better yet, you can order “bite size” versions for only $2.95 each. We get the Blueberry Crumble Ala Mode and the Chocolate Encore Cake—bravo! I’m more of a chocolate person, but I couldn’t put down the warm, homemade Blueberry Crumble topped with vanilla ice cream. Ridiculously good.

Our bill is around $30 which I thought was perfectly acceptable since we were doing something a little special. I really appreciated how the staff paid extra attention to my daughter (double cherries for our Shirley Temples!) and made her feel like a welcomed guest. We even got a special tour of the lobster tank! Before we’re out the door, we buy two .95 red lobster lollipops (need to bring one home to little brother) and Mike hands us a giant smile (see photo below) in more ways than one. Great food, great service, great time!

The Bottom Line (based on a five-star rating):
Distraction Offering: ???½ (paper and crayons, check—but Mike was the real hit!)
Atmosphere: ???½  (bright and airy and offers lots to keep our eyes entertained)
Food: ????  (good portion sizes and super fresh, quality seafood)
Affordability: ???½  (if you’re looking for something a little special, you can’t go wrong here)
Service: ?????  (extremely friendly, fun and accommodating)

 crackers_coloring     inside_bar

tables_inside     kids_shrimp

salmon_wrap     bitesize_desserts

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Robert’s Maine Grill
Route 1, Kittery ME (207) 439-0300 

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